Electric panel or distribution board



Nov. 19, 1929. F. o. WINKLEHAUS ELECTRIC PANEL OR DISTRIBUT ION BOARDFiled Oct. 21. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet ATTORNEY.

WM M Nov. 19, 1929. F. o. WINKLEHAUS 1,736,023

ELECTRIC PANEL OR DISTRIBUTION BOARD Filed 001;. 21, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet2 INVENTOR A TTURNEY Patented Nov. 19, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEFREDERICK 0. WINKLEHAUS, OF WOODI-IAVEN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO METRO-POLITAN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, .A CORPORATION OF NEW YORKELECTRIC PANEL OR DISTRIBUTION BOARD Application filed 0ctober21, 1922.Serial No. 595,883.

This invention relates to electric panel or distribution boards and hasfor its primary object to provide an improved arrangement of thebus-bars and circuit connections be tween said busbars, the'fuse plugreceptacles and the branch line terminals in a device of this character.

More particularly, my present invention comprehends an improvedarrangement of the fuse plug receptacles whereby the circuit connectionsbetween the bus-bars and the branch line terminals are utilized for thepurpose of supporting the receptacles in an elevated position withrespect to the base of the panel board and above the plane of thebusbars. I

It is also another object of the invention to provide simple andthoroughly efi'ective means for insulating the several bus-bars of athree-wire distributing system and their connections to the fuse plugreceptacles from each other. 7

As a detail item of improvement, I provide a double or single insulatingbase for the fuse plug receptacles having certain novel structuralfeatures whereby the mounting and connection of said receptacle basesupon the circuit connections with the bus-bars and branch line terminalsor their disconnection therefrom may be facilitated.

In general, I aim to provide an electric panel or distribution boardwherein the several parts are substantially constructed and verycompactly arranged in such manner as to provide for the mounting of aboard of maximum capacity in a relatively small space and with a minimumpossibility of short-circuiting.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists in theimproved panel board construction and in the form, construction andrelative arrangement of the several parts thereof as will be hereinaftermore fully described, illustrated in the accompanying dgrwings andsubsequently incorporated in the subjoined claims.

In the drawings wherein I have shown one simple and satisfactoryembodiment of the invention and in which similar reference charactersdesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a panel board constructed in accordancewith the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof;

Figure 8 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line H of Fig. 2;

Figure 5 is an inverted plan view of one of the base members for thefuse plug receptacles;

Figure 6 is an elevation showing my present invention assembled for useas a metering panel, certain parts being omitted;

Figure 7 is a similar View showing another installation of a meteringpanel wherein suitable switches are included; and,

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 88 of Figure 7.

In the accompanying drawing wherein I have illustrated the presentinvention as applied to a three-wire electrical distribution system, thebase 5 of the panel may be of slate or other suitable insulatingmaterial and may be of any desired dimensions, in accordance with therequired capacity for the particular installation. Upon this insulatingbase the spaced metal terminal members 6 for the main line wires arearranged and suitably secured, each of said members having associatedtherewith a suitable binding post 7. The two outer terminal members 6terminate at one of their ends in upstanding ears 8 to which theangularly disposed end portions 9 and 10 of the bus-bars 9 and 10respectively, are rigidly fixed, as by means of the screws or analogousfastening element 11. Heretofore, it has been customary to arrange thesebus-bars which are connected to opposite poles of the circuit inparallel relation to the panel base and in contact with the uppersurface thereof. In my present construction, however, I dispose saidbusbars in parallel relation to each other but in vertical planes atright angles or on edge with respect to the surface of the base 5 andpreferably, slightly spaced at their lower edges from said base. Thesebus-bars are spaced apart a suitable distance so that there is no dangerof short-circuiting, but as a further precaution, I dispose between thespaced busbars a strip or bar of insulating material 12. This insulatingstrip is preferably of T shaped form, as clearly seen in Figure 3 of thedrawing, and the; horizontal head portion thereof is disposed beneath athird neutral bus-bar 18, positioned above and between the spacedbus-bars 9 and 10 and disposed in a horizontal plane parallel with thesurface of the base 5. This third bus-bar is connected at one of itsends to the intermediate main line terminal member 6.

The fuse plug receptacles are preferably arranged in pairs, each pair ofreceptacles being mounted in a common base member 14 of insulatingmaterial. These fuse plug receptacles are connected to the branch lineterminals 15 arranged in series on opposite sides of the bus-bars bymeans of the terminal pieces 16. From reference to Figure 3 it will beseen that each of these terminal pieces is in the form of a metal stripwhich is angularly bent at its opposite ends, one end portion of thestrip being engaged with the branch line terminal or binding post 15.The other angular end portion of the terminal piece 16 is ofsubstantially semi-circular form, as shown at 17 and is adapted forengagement in a channel or groove 18 of cor responding form which isprovided in the under side of the receptacle base 14 at its end. Theextremities of the portion 17 of the terminal piece are apertured andthreaded to receive screws 19 extending through the bottom plate of themetal receptacle shell 20 and through the insulating base 14, wherebysaid shell is electrically connected with the terminal piece. Theinsulating base 14 is further provided in its underside and in opposedrelation to each of the semi circu lar grooves or recesses 18 with atrans ersely extending groove or channel 21, the purpose of which willbe presently described.

Preferably, though not necessarily, the alternate branch line terminals15 on each side of the panel board will'be of one polarity, while theremaining terminals in the series will be of the opposite polarity.Accordingly, one of the receptacles in each pair on one side of theboard is connected to the bus-bar 9 and one receptacle in each pair atthe opposite side of the board is connected to the bus-bar 10. Theremaining receptacles are connected to the third bus-bar 13. In thepresent instance I have shown the connections with the bus-bars 9 and 10in the form of metal bars or straps 22 and 23, respect'vely. Theintermediate portions of these metal bars extend outwardly above thebus-bars at an oblique angle. Each connecting bar or strap is engaged atone of its ends in one of the transverse channels or grooves 21 of areceptacle base 14, said end of the strap havto the bus-bar ing athreaded opening to receive a central contact screw 24 extending througha raised boss 25 on the receptacle base 11 which insulates said screwfrom the metal shell 20. The other ends of the straps are engaged aginst one side of the bus-bar 9 and secured thereto by means of screws26, while the corresponding ends of the straps are similarly engagedwith the bus-bar 10 and secured by means of screws 27.

It will be noted from reference to Figure 3 of the drawing that the headof the T shaped insulation bar 12 is interposed between the bus-bar 13and the connections 22 and 23, thus effectively insulating said bus-barfrom the busbars 9 and 10. Metal straps 28 are fixed at one of theirends to the busbar 13 by the screws 29, said straps extending inopposite directions from the busbar and being engaged at their otherends in the second transverse groove or channel 21 in each receptaclebase 14. The latter ends of these straps have threaded openings toreceive the contact screws 30 of the remaining receptacles.

From the above it will be seen that when a fuse plug is threaded in oneof the receptacles connected for instance, to the bus-bar 9, so that aconnection is made between the metal shell of the receptacle and thescrew 24, a circuit is closed from the bus-bar through the connection 22through the screw 2%, the fuses in the plug, the shell 20, screws 19, tothe branch line terminal piece The circuit is also closed through theother busbar 10 in a similar manner, and when a plug is inserted in oneof the receptacles connected 13, the circuit is closed from said barthrough the strap 28, screw 30, the

fuses in the plug, the receptacle shell, the

screw 19 to another of the branch line terminal pieces 16. However, itis to be understood that while I have in this instance described theinvention as used in connection with a three-wire distribution system,it may nevertheless be also advantageously used in a two-wire system andalso that the number of fuse plug receptacles might be increasedad-infinitum to the extent required for any particular installation. Itwill be appreciated from the foregoing description that while I obtain acompact arrangement of the fuse plug receptacles, I have at the sametime so arranged or positioned the receptacles relative to the bus-barsthat connections of a relatively simple character can be employed. Itwill be observed that these connections serve as the'immeuiate means ofsupport for the receptacles and permit of the detachment of thereceptacles and their insulating bases without necessitating also the,

removal or detachment of the conductor elements from the bus-bars or thepanel base.

It will also be observed that the insulating bases for the fuse plugreceptacles constructed as herein described provides for the effectiveinsulation of the branch line terminal pieces and the bus-barconnections from each other. By reason of the arrangement hereindisclosed, maximum separation between the terminals of differentpolarity is obtained so that danger of short-circuiting by accumula tionof dust or moisture upon the current conducting elements is reduced to aminimum.

In Figures 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings I have illustrated severalembodiments of the present invention designed for use as meteringpanels. In Figure 6 the bus-bars and fuse plug receptacles are mountedwithin a box or casing 32 which is provided with the usual hinge door orcover (not shown). Vith each pair of fuse plug receptacles there isassociated a section or slab of insulation material 33 and a similarslab'of insulation material 34 extends over the main line terminals ofthe bus-bars. These insulating sections or slabs are closely engagedwith the box walls so that they completely cover the bus-bars, branchline terminals and all other live parts. Thus any one of the fuses maybe removed without liability of the hand coming in contact withelectrically charged elements of the device. It will be noted that inthe arrangement shown in Fig. 6 a metering panel of minimum width isprovided so that it will occupy a relatively small area in the wall ofthe building.

In Figures 7 and 8 of the drawing I have illustrated anotherinstallation of my present invention wherein a switch 35 of the pushbutton type is provided for each of the circuits, said switch beingmounted beneath the insulating slab or section 33 and the push buttonsprojecting through openings provided therein. In this embodiment of thedevice the box or casing 32 is mounted within an outer metallic casing36 having a hinged door 37 which, when in its closed position, coversthe open side of the panel.

While I have herein shown and described one simple, practical andefficient construction of my present invention, it is nevertheless to beunderstood that the device is susceptible of embodiment in manyalternative structures and I accordingly reserve the privilege ofresorting to all such legitimate changes as may be fairly embodiedwithin the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In a panel board, bus-bars, a plurality of fuse plug receptaclesdisposed at opposite sides of the bus-bars and positioned out of thehorizontal and vertical planes of the busbars, current distributingconnections between each series of receptacles and one of the bus-bars,and branch line terminal pieces connected to the receptacles, saidterminal pieces and the bus-bar connections constituting supportingmeans for the receptacles.

2. In a panel board, a base, spaced bus-bars extending over said base inplanes at right angles to the surface thereof, a plurality of fuse plugreceptacles positioned at the outer side and above the upper edge ofeach busbar, current distributors connected to each bus-bar and branchline terminal pieces connected to and supporting the receptacles.

3. In a panel board, a base, spaced bus-bars extending over said base ina plane at right angles to the surface thereof, a plurality of fuse plugreceptacles positioned at the outer side and above the plane of eachbus-bar, current distributors connected to each busbar, means insulatingthe spaced bus-bars and their current distributors from each other, andbranch line terminal pieces connected to and supporting the receptacles.

4. In a panel board for three-wire distribution systems, a base, spacedbus-bars extending over said base, a third bus-bar mounted upon the basein superposed spaced relation to the first mentioned bus-bars, aplurality of fuse plug receptacles at opposite sides of said bus-bars,current distributing connections from each of the first named busbars tocertain of the receptacles in one series, connections between the thirdbus-bar and the remaining receptacles in each series, and branch lineterminal pieces connected to the receptacles, said terminal pieces andthe current distributing connections supporting the fuse plugreceptacles in an elevated position above the plane of the first namedbusbars.

5. In a panel board for three-wire distribution systems, a base, spacedbusbars extending over said base, a third bus-bar mounted upon the basein superposed spaced relation to the first named bus-bars, a pluralityof fuse plug receptacles at opposite sides of said bus-bars, currentdistributing connections from each bus-bar to certain of the receptaclesin one series, connections between the third bus-bar and the remainingreceptacles in each series, a longitudinally extending strip ofinsulating material interposed between the first named bus-bars, thecurrent distributing connections thereof and the said third bus-bar, andbranch line terminal pieces connected to the receptacles, said terminalpieces, and the current distributing connections supporting the fuseplug receptacles in an elevated position above the plane f thefirst-named bus-bars.

6. In a panel board, a bus-bar, a fuse plug receptacle having a base ofinsulating material and a threaded shell seated therein, a distributorbar connected to the bus-bar, a branch line terniina piece, theunderside of the receptacle base being recessed to receive parts of thedistributor bar and of the branch line terminal piece whereby they areinsulated from each other, means securing said shell in the base andelectrically connecting the same with said branch line terminal piece,and a fuse plug engaging contact extending through the receptacle baseand connected to said distributor bar, said bar and the branch line terminal piece supporting the fuse plug receptacle in an elevated positionon the panel board and out of the plane of the bus-bar.

7. A panel board comprising a base of insulating material, spaced busbars extending across said base and separated therefrom, terminalscarried by the base on the outside of the bus-bars, terminal piecesconnected to the terminals and extending upwardly above the plane of thebus-bars, fuse plugs supported by the terminal pieces and currentdistributors connected to the busbars, and metal straps connecting thebus-bars and the fuse plug receptacles.

8. A panel board for three wire distribut- .ing systems, comprising abase, two spaced bus-bars extending over said base, a third busbarmounted upon the base in super-posed relation to the first mentionedbus-bars, terminals carried by the base, terminal pieces connected tothe terminals and extendin upwardly substantially in a plane with thesuper-posed bus-bars, a series of fuse plug receptacles supported by theterminal pieces on each side of said bus-bars, current distributionconnections from the third bus-bar to certain plug receptacles in eachseries, connections between the first mentioned bus-bars and theremaining receptacles in each series whereby the fuse plug receptaclesare supported above the first mentioned bus-bars in an elevated positionin spaced relation from the base.

9. A panel board comprising a base, a pair of bus bars disposed on edgewith respect to the base and relatively close together, extending alongthe base, fuse plug receptacles disposed above the bus bars, thereceptacles being relatively close to each other, connections betweenthe receptacles and the bus bars, a third bus bar on said panel butspaced therefrom and disposed substantially between the receptacles atthe sides of the first-named bus bars, and insulation between the busbars and connections, the bus bars, receptacles and connections being inproximity over the extent of said panel board.

10. A panel board comprising a base, bus bars extending along the baseand all disposed relatively close together, one of said bars beingfarther from the panel than the remainder, and the remainder being onedge with respect to the base, fuse plug receptacles at each side of thebus bars, the receptacles on one side of the bus bars being relativelyclose to those on the ct ier side, connections between the bus bars andthe receptacles and insulation between the bus bars and saidconnections, the bus bars, receptacles and connections thus being inproximity over the extent of said board.

11. A panel board comprising a base, bus bars all disposed relativelyclose together extending along the base, one of said bars being fartherfrom the panel than the remainder, and the remainder being on edge withrespect to the base, receptacles supported on the base and spacedtherefrom, said receptacles being disposed at both sides of said busbars, the receptacles at one side being relatively close to those on theopposite side, connections between the bus bars and receptacles andinsulation between the bus bars and connections.

12. A panel board comprising a base, a pair of bus bars extending alongthe base and arranged on edge with respect to the base and relativelyclose together, a third bus bar adjacent the first named bus bars,receptacles at both sides of said bus bars, the third bus bar and saidreceptacles being spaced from the base, the other bus bars lying betweenthe panel and the receptacles and third bus bar, the receptacles at oneside of the bus bars being relatively close to those on the oppositeside, connections between the bus bars and receptacles and insulationbetween said bus bars and said connections.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signedmy name hereunder.

FREDERICK O. WVINKLEHAUS.

